High density electrical connectors are used in a wide variety of applications, including industrial-type electrical connectors. High density connectors are desirable because they reduce connector sizes, thereby requiring less overall space and eliminating excess bulk. This is highly advantageous in many applications, such as aircraft and aerospace applications, where space and weight savings are at a premium. A typical type of electrical connector assembly of the character described is a circular connector assembly which includes a male plug connector and a female receptacle connector. A coupling ring is rotatably mounted about one of the connectors for rotatably coupling the connectors in mating interengagement. The coupling system may utilize, for example, bayonet type or screw-thread type shells. Small high density pin and socket contacts interconnect when the plug and receptacle connectors are rotatably mated.
As the density of electrical connectors used in such applications increases, problems arise upon mating of the connectors due to misalignment and resulting damage to the exposed pin and socket contacts. It generally is known in the art that cylindrical connectors may be keyed to properly position the connector housings prior to mating. This technology is used in industry standards such as military specification MIL-C-38999. However, this type of guide means between the connector housings, alone, is not sufficiently precise to accurately align the increasingly dense array of pin and socket contacts where tight tolerances are required. Such high density connectors also cause problems due to the high insertion forces required to mate the high number of contacts, especially in environments where the connectors are not easily accessed or for instance, in a blind mating condition or where the connectors must be cycled repeatedly. Therefore, there is a need for improved, precise or fine alignment of such connectors during mating, without increasing the mating insertion forces.
This invention is directed to satisfying such a need and solving the problems outlined above.